The Whistler Mountain Bike Park is open again for another summer season and during the five-month opening window people from all over the globe will come to enjoy its world famous trails. For many Pinkbike users, be it in the lift line or sat behind a computer watching videos or glancing at photos of opening weekend, it can't be denied that out of curiosity we like to know who is riding what, even if we pretend we don't. So we took to the busy lift lines again for another opening weekend and checked out what's popular, what's changed and how riders chose to kit their bikes out ready to hit the Whistler Mountain Bike Park.
The usual rules apply, one hundred passers-by for each category. Between noon and 4pm Sunday we checked out frames, forks, shocks, brakes, derailleurs, wheels and tire choice, clipped vs flat, men vs women, and we bought back the helmet survey as well as who was wearing a neck brace or not. Of course, we also checked out what's happening with your DH bike wheel size. Hint; it's pretty close.
Rental bikes and Kid's bikes were not included in our survey With a packed lift line Sunday and no chance of a double count, we extended the frame category to a sample size of two hundred vs the usual one hundred of previous years in order to get a better look at the variety of bikes coming through the lineup. Each .5% now equals one bike in this year's stats.
Frames Opening Weekend 2016:
Specialized Demo | 14.5% |
Norco Aurum | 10.5% |
Devinci Wilson | 5.5% |
Giant Glory | 5% |
Santa Cruz V10 | 4% |
Trek Session | 3.5% |
Transition TR500 | 3% |
Kona Operator | 2.5% |
YT Tues | 2% |
Giant Reign | 2% |
Commencal Supreme V3 | 2% |
Giant Trance | 1.5% |
Rocky Mountain Maiden | 1.5% |
Knolly Podium | 1.5% |
Transition TR450 | 1.5% |
Intense M16 | 1.5% |
Intense M9 | 1.5% |
Intense 951 | 1.5% |
Norco Team DH | 1.5% |
Norco Aline | 1.5% |
Diamondback Mission | 1.5% |
Canfield Jedi | 1.5% |
Zerode | 1.5% |
Pivot Phoenix | 1.5% |
Rocky Mountain Flatline | 1% |
Specialized Enduro | 1% |
Banshee Legend | 1% |
Santa Cruz Nomad | 1% |
Turner DHR | 1% |
Mondraker Summum | 1% |
Polygon Collosus DH | 1% |
Norco Shore | 1% |
Transition Patrol | 1% |
Commencal Meta | 1% |
Scott Gambler | 1% |
Banshee Darkside | .5% |
Banshee Rune | .5% |
Banshee Spitfire | .5% |
Trek Remedy | .5% |
Trek Slash | .5% |
Devinci Fanatik | .5% |
Devinci Spartan | .5% |
Devinci Troy | .5% |
Norco Range | .5% |
Norco Sight | .5% |
Norco Fluid | .5% |
Norco Bline | .5% |
Specialized Status | .5% |
Specialized Stumpjumper | .5% |
Specialized SX Trail | .5% |
Rocky Mountain Altitude | .5% |
Rocky Mountain Slayer | .5% |
Transition Covert | .5% |
Transition TR250 | .5% |
Ghost Riot | .5% |
Ghost DH | .5% |
Saracen Myst | .5% |
Knolly Delirium | .5% |
Scott Voltage | .5% |
Santa Cruz Bronson | .5% |
NS Fuzz | .5% |
Evil Undead | .5% |
Morewood Makulu | .5% |
Ibis Mojo | .5% |
Cavalerie Anakin | .5% |
Frames Opening Weekend 2015:
Specialized Demo | 17% |
Devinci Wilson | 13% |
Norco Aurum | 9% |
Santa Cruz V10 | 7% |
Giant Glory | 5% |
Giant Reign | 5% |
Rocky Mountain Flatline | 5% |
Transition TR500 | 4% |
Transition TR450 | 3% |
Trek Session | 2% |
Knolly Podium | 2% |
Lapierre DH | 2% |
Zerode | 2% |
Cove Shocker | 2% |
Kona Stab | 2% |
Evil Undead | 2% |
Intense M9 | 2% |
Norco A-line | 2% |
Kona Operator | 2% |
Intense 951 | 1% |
Specialized Enduro | 1% |
Cove Playmate | 1% |
Trek Slash | 1% |
Foes Hydro | 1% |
Norco Range | 1% |
Banshee Darkside | 1% |
Scott Voltage | 1% |
NS Fuzz | 1% |
Specialized Status | 1% |
Banshee Rune | 1% |
Morpheus DH | 1% |
Forks Opening Weekend 2016:
RockShox Boxxer (all models) | 34% |
Fox 40 (all models) | 24% |
RockShox Pike | 12% |
Fox 36 | 8% |
Marzocchi 888 | 4% |
Marzocchi 55/66 | 3% |
RockShox Lyrik | 2% |
RockShox Sektor | 2% |
Fox 34 | 2% |
BOS Idylle | 2% |
RockShox Domain | 1% |
RockShox Revelation | 1% |
Marzocchi EXR | 1% |
Marzocchi 380 | 1% |
Manitou Travis | 1% |
BOS Deville | 1% |
X Fusion Sweep | 1% |
Forks Opening Weekend 2015:
RockShox Boxxer (all models) | 35% |
Fox 40 (all models) | 23% |
Marzocchi 55/66 | 9% |
Marzocchi 888 | 7% |
Marzocchi 380 (all models) | 6% |
Fox 36 | 4% |
RockShox Pike | 4% |
RockShox Lyrik | 4% |
RockShox Domain | 2% |
BOS Idylle | 2% |
Manitou Dorado | 1% |
Suntour Rux | 1% |
Fox 34 | 1% |
Marzocchi Junior T | 1% |
Rear Shocks Opening Weekend 2016:
Fox DHX (inc X2) | 26% |
Cane Creek DB Coil | 12% |
RockShox Vivid Coil | 11% |
Fox Float X (Inc X2) | 7% |
Fox Van | 7% |
RockShox Monarch Plus | 5% |
Fox Float | 5% |
Marzocchi C2R | 5% |
RockShox Kage | 4% |
Marzocchi Rocco | 4% |
DVO Jade Coil | 3% |
Xfusion Vector | 3% |
Rockshox Vivid Air | 2% |
RockShox Monarch | 1% |
Ohlins | 1% |
Cane Creek Inline | 1% |
Cane Creek DB Air | 1% |
BOS Stoy | 1% |
Marzocchi Rocco Air | 1% |
Rear Shocks Opening Weekend 2015:
Fox DHX (all models) | 28% |
Rockshox Monarch Plus | 11% |
RockShox Vivid Coil | 11% |
Cane Creek DB Coil | 9% |
Fox Van | 7% |
Fox Float X | 7% |
Fox Float RP23 | 6% |
RockShox Kage | 5% |
RockShox Vivid Air | 4% |
Marzocchi Rocco | 4% |
Cane Creek DB Air | 2% |
BOS Stoy | 2% |
Marzocchi Moto C2R | 1% |
RockShox Monarch | 1% |
Ohlins | 1% |
Cane Creek Inline | 1% |
Brakes Opening Weekend 2016:
Shimano Saint | 29% |
SRAM Guide (all models) | 21% |
Avid Code (all models) | 13% |
Shimano Zee | 11% |
Avid Elixir (all models) | 9% |
Avid XO | 5% |
Shimano SLX | 4% |
Shimano Deore | 2% |
Shimano XT | 1% |
Shimano XTR | 1% |
Avid Juicy | 1% |
Avid DB | 1% |
Formula T1 | 1% |
Formula R0 | 1% |
Brakes Opening Weekend 2015:
Shimano Saint | 28% |
Shimano Zee | 14% |
Avid Code (all models) | 14% |
Avid Elixir (all models) | 13% |
SRAM Guide | 5% |
Avid Juicy | 5% |
Avid XO | 5% |
Shimano XT | 3% |
Hope Tech 3 | 3% |
Hayes 9 | 2% |
Formula RX | 2% |
Shimano XTR | 2% |
Shimano SLX | 2% |
Shimano Deore | 1% |
Formula Oro | 1% |
Derailleurs Opening Weekend 2016:
Shimano Saint | 20% |
Shimano Zee | 19% |
SRAM XO1 | 11% |
SRAM XO | 10% |
SRAM X7 | 10% |
SRAM X9 | 7% |
Shimano SLX | 3% |
SRAM GX | 3% |
Gearbox Bike | 3% |
Shimano XTR | 2% |
Shimano XT | 2% |
Shimano Deore | 3% |
SRAM X5 | 2% |
Single Speed | 2% |
SRAM XX1 | 1% |
Shimano Altus | 1% |
Shimano Acera | 1% |
Chainless | 1% |
Derailleurs Opening Weekend 2015:
SRAM XO | 21% |
SRAM X9 | 17% |
Shimano Saint | 17% |
Shimano Zee | 13% |
SRAM XO1 | 8% |
SRAM X5 | 7% |
Shimano XT | 6% |
Shimano XTR | 4% |
SRAM X7 | 3% |
Shimano Deore | 2% |
SRAM XX1 | 2% |
Rims Opening Weekend 2016:
DT Swiss | 21% |
Mavic | 13% |
Sun Ringle | 9% |
Stan's | 9% |
Spank | 9% |
Easton | 4% |
Bontrager | 3% |
Nukeproof | 3% |
Raceface | 3% |
Specialized Roval | 2% |
E*thirteen | 2% |
Kore | 2% |
Industry 9 | 2% |
Alex Rims | 1% |
Shimano | 1% |
Syncros | 1% |
Azonic | 1% |
Giant | 1% |
Enkei | 1% |
Diamondback | 1% |
Hope | 1% |
NS | 1% |
Rims Opening Weekend 2015:
Sun Ringle | 21% |
Mavic | 18% |
DT Swiss | 13% |
Easton | 9% |
Specialized Roval | 8% |
Alex Rims | 6% |
Stan's | 4% |
Spank | 3% |
Shimano | 2% |
Syncros | 2% |
Transition Revolution | 2% |
Novatec | 2% |
Bontrager | 2% |
WTB | 1% |
Azonic | 1% |
Spinergy | 1% |
Jalco | 1% |
Giant | 1% |
Crank Brothers | 1% |
E*thirteen | 1% |
Nukeproof | 1% |
Tires Opening Weekend 2016:
Maxxis Minion DHF | 25% |
Schwalbe Magic Mary | 21% |
Specialized Butcher | 10.5% |
Maxxis High Roller 2 | 9.5% |
Maxxis High Roller | 6% |
Bontrager G4 | 5.5% |
Maxxis Minion DHR | 4% |
Maxxis Minion DHR 2 | 2.5% |
Maxxis Ardent | 2% |
Specialized Slaughter | 2% |
Schwalbe Hans Dampf | 1.5% |
Schwalbe Nobby Nick | 1.5% |
Maxxis Shorty | 1.5% |
Continental Kaiser | 1% |
Kenda Nevegal | 1% |
Hutchinson Toro | 1% |
Bontrager XR3 | 1% |
WTB Vigilante | 1% |
Kenda El Moco | .5% |
Kenda Honey Badger | .5% |
Continental Trail King | .5% |
Maxxis Minion SS | .5% |
WTB Prowler | .5% |
Tires Opening Weekend 2015:
Maxxis Minion DHF | 33% |
Schwalbe Magic Mary | 25% |
Maxxis High Roller 2 | 16% |
Specialized Butcher | 7% |
Maxxis High Roller | 6% |
Maxxis Minion DHR | 3% |
Continental Kaiser | 3% |
Schwalbe Hans Dampf | 2% |
Bontrager G4 | 2% |
Maxxis Ardent | 2% |
Kenda Nevagal | 1% |
DH Wheel Size Opening Weekend 2016:
27.5inch | 50% |
26inch | 49% |
24inch | 1% |
DH Wheel Size Opening Weekend 2015:
*The 24inch figure from this weekend is due to two bikes coming through running 26inch front and 24inch rear, that was split .5% each wheel size.We also threw in a couple of categories we haven't checked out since we first did this back in
2012. We brought back the helmet brand poll along with seeing who was and wasn't opting for a neck brace in the park. Interestingly this statistic from the one hundred people we ticked off has not changed at all.
Helmets Opening Weekend 2016:
Troy Lee Designs | 33% |
Fox | 19% |
IXS | 16% |
Giro | 11% |
Bell | 8% |
POC | 4% |
661 | 3% |
Specialized | 3% |
100% | 1% |
Kali | 1% |
Suomy | 1% |
Helmets 2012:
Troy Lee Designs | 38% |
661 | 11% |
Giro | 9% |
Protec | 7% |
Urge | 7% |
Fox | 7% |
Bell | 7% |
THE | 4% |
POC | 2% |
Fly | 2% |
Specialized | 1% |
Mace | 1% |
MET | 1% |
Bluegrass | 1% |
Kali | 1% |
Suomy | 1% |
Neck Brace's Opening Weekend 2016:
What did you think of our findings on opening weekend here at the Whistler Bike Park? Let us know what you ride below.Check out the full articles from our previous "What People are Riding" surveys.Opening Weekend 2015Closing Weekend 2015July 2012
MENTIONS: @roseoakhill /
@WhistlerMountainBikePark
Every one of those 29 people probably crashed immediately on the first run and died, because of how dangerous and unstable the Demo is. If they had done the survey after the second run the numbers would have been different amirite @protour ?
To be clear I find Specialized super boring, can't stand their litigious posture in the industry and would never buy one (plus I live in a town with not one but two ripping local mountain bike companies, so why buy anything designed more than two miles away?). But they do set the standard for "cool" high end bikes for a _lot_ of people. Including me, when I was in high school.
ADVERTISEMENT PERIOD doesn't mean its any good.
Cheers to that!
What are you smoking ? I want some too....
I'm sure all Australian beer is just like VB and XXXX Gold, right? Swill.
@bmoore34 Bud wasn't the only brewery to make it through prohibition. Yuengling, Coors, Miller, etc all survived by making things other than beer. Coors started a ceramics business that's now a massive moneymaker in the aerospace industry. The majors came out on top by being the best businessmen and diversifying quickly, while the financial strain of prohibition basically broke the less financially savvy breweries, which then could be bought for cheap. Consolidation of small breweries happened quickly from '33 to the 50s, but AB was far from the only one who came out ahead.
Yeti is a boutique brand?
Not riding better based on what metric(s)?
Essentially what you've just said here is that the only people that can make a good bike are the big BIG companies and everything else is sh1te that might or might not look good.
This sounds like the baseless meanderings for a Fanboi.
My point was/is there ain't much to pick between brands when it comes to performance, so discerning buyers pick the bikes that cost the least or look the best (subjectively).
Cigarettes are dangerous and they are still quite popular, what gives? Some people still think they are cool, just as some naive people think Specialized is still a cool brand. Marketing and goods looks, as others have stated, are the keys to getting people to spend money against their best interests. The Demo is a good looking bike, that alone is enough for some fan boys. I like the Specialized/Budweiser comparison except that Budweiser doesn't have a reputation for frivolous lawsuits that bankrupt small companies.
Well played bike industry.. well played!
Being clipped in doesn't stop you correctly preloading into a jump, but being on flats does stop you picking the bike up on the clips in a shitty situation.
Anyway, i wasn't trying to argue for or against clips or flats. I have no problem with what anyone wants to run, and definitely see why people want to run flats. I was just surprised to see so many more people on flats than clips considering I barely know anyone who rides flats (bearing in mind I live in Squamish, and was riding Whistler on opening weekend, so this is my local scene).
So there was at least two other Zerodes there.
And I almost always saw 1 or 2 others each day I went up last year. They are around.
Although I'm considering making a "No, it's not an e-bike" sticker for mine... so unknowledgeable people will stop asking me if it is a motor...
If it was a 40% drop in the stock exchange, the headlines would read "APOCALYPSE". so I guess we can consider this the extinction of the 26" wheel.
Last year was 100
#WeAreThe1%
Aren't numbers fun?
Relatively small sample size compared to overall attendance I'm sure swings the results but still.
- more women
- more people riding flat pedals
Also surprised there were no Pivot Cycles Phoenix bikes there
Although interesting that 110% of people were or were not wearing a neck brace
Therefore 2 bikes with 24inch rear only split between 26/24 means only 0.5% to 24 not 1%.... Your maths are floored
Glad to see 78%/22% on men/women distribution ! 6 points of percentage in one year ! That's awesome !
Hard to believe!